Device for lighting lamps by electricity.



Patented 'Aug. 22, I899;

S. M. MEYER.

DEVICE FOR LIGHTING LAMPS BY ELECTRICITY.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1898.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

SVEND MARTIN MEYER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR LIGHTING LAMPS BY ELECTRICITY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,316, dated August22, 1899. Application filed February 5, 1898. Serial No. 669,232. (Nomodel.)

1'0 alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SVEND MARTIN ll/IEYER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York,'borough of Brooklyn, county ofKings, State of New York, have invented a' new and useful Improvement inDevices for Lighting Lamps by Electricity, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a device by which a resistance-coil is throwninto position to ignite the lamp and in this movement is placed incircuit with a suitable source of electricity and conductors, so as tobe rendered incandescent. In my present improvement the re sistance-coilis mounted on a vertical rockshaft and connected by a contact spring,which in normal position bears on an insulating-band surrounding therock-shaft or sleeve and on the application. of pressure to turn therock-shaft or sleeve in either direction receives contact from aprojecting stud which serves the combined purpose of closing theelectric circuit at the time of the mid stroke or movement of therock-shaft or sleeve and by mechanical action, in conjunction with thespring, throwing the rock-shaft or sleeve to the extremity of itsoscillatory movement in either direction, so as to automatically breakthe contact and also throw the lighting-coil away from the flame. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a lamp with myinvention applied. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the burner on a largerscale, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section thereof.

1 represents the body of the lamp; 2, the removable burner; 3, the conethereof, which surrounds the wick-tube 4. i

5 is an insulated rock-shaft supported at,

grounded sleeve 8 and the insulated rock-shaft 5 are connected by a coil10 of platinum wire or other suitable material, adapted to be renderedincandescent by the electric current attached at its ends to studs 11 12on the rockshal't 5 and sleeve 8, respectively, projectinghorizontallyin such position that the coil 10 will be thrown over or inclose proximity to the lamp-Wick at the mid-stroke of the rock-shaft 5and will be removed from the wick at each end of the vibrating movement.

In order to close the electric circuit when the rock-shaft is atmid-stroke, the rock-shaft is provided with a pin 13, projectinghorizontally through an insulating-band 14,surronnd ing the rock-shaftat this point, which pin as the rock-shaft is turned in either directionmakes contact with the free end of a platespring 15, which ispermanently attached to a coupling-piece 16, mounted by an insulator 17in the shell 2 of the burner. The coupling 16 is in the form of asuitable socket or clip to permit the ready connection and removal of aninsulated conductor 18, connecting with one pole of a battery or othersource of electricity 19 in the base of the lamp, the other pole ofwhich is grounded by a wire 20, connecting with the body of the lamp.

The operation is as follows: In the normal posit-ion of the lighter, asillustrated in Fig. 2, the lighting-coil 10 is thrown completely awayfrom the flame in either direction, (shown in fulland dotted lines,respectively,) and at the same time the pin 13 is removed from contactwith the spring 15, which rests upon the insulating-band l4, surroundingthe lower end of the rock-shaft 5. When it is desired to light the lamp,the handle 7 is pressed with the finger, rotating the sleeve to itsmid-position, at which time the pin 13 engages with the spring 15, so asto close the electric circuit through the coil 10, which is in thisposition in contact or close proximity with the wick and, being renderedincandescent, instantly ignites the lamp. The pressure of the finger,moreover, carrying the rock-shaft beyond the mid-stroke causes thespring 15 to act upon the pin 13, so 'as to throw the rock-shaft 5 witha sudden movement to the extremity of its stroke, breaking the circuitand at the same time removing the igniting-coil away from the tlamc. Itwill thus appear that the rock-shaft, carrying the lighting-coil, may berotated in either trcmity of its oscillating movement; as explained.

direction from the end of its stroke at which i it rests and is by theaction of the spring automatically thrown to the other end of itsstroke, thereby again breaking the circuit.

I am aware that it is old to employ in an electric device forgas-lighting a resistance medium adapted to be rendered incandescent byan electric current and which is moved into position to close thecurrent and bring the incandescent lighting device in reach of flame bymoving in one direction and is automatically retracted, so as to removethe lighting device from the flame and break the circuit, by a reversemovement. I therefore do not claim this broadly.

It is an essential feature of my improvement that by a continuous strokeor movement of the device in one direction the circuit is closedinstantaneously at mid-stroke of the device when the lighter is in reachof the flame and the circuit is broken by the continued movement in thesame direction to the end of the stroke.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device for lightinglamps by electricity my invention I have signedmy name, in prescomprising a suitable source of electricity andconductors, a rock-shaft having a projecting arm and an incandescingdevice carried thereby, a circuit-closing device closing the circuitthrough the incandescing material at midstroke of the rock-shaft, and aspring operating to throw the rook-shaft to either exc 2. In a devicefor lighting lamps by electricity, the combination of a suitable sourceof electricity and conductors, a rock-shaft and means for moving thesame, an insulated conductor carried by the rock-shaft, a coil adaptedto be rendered incandescent by electric current attached at itsrespective ends to the rock-shaft and to the insulated conductor carriedthereby, a contact-pin carried by the rock-shaft and a spring acting inconjunction with said connecting-pin to make electric contact therewith,and to automatically throw the rock-shaft and contact-pin beyond theposition in which the circuit is closed, as explained.

3. The combination of the rock-shaft 5, the sleeve 8 surrounding thesaid rock-shaft and insulated therefrom, the lighting-coil 10 connectedat its respective ends to the said rockshaft and sleeve, the pin orstud'lfl projecting from the rock-shaft 5, an insulated spring engagingthe pin 13 and connected with one pole of a suitable source ofelectricity, the other pole of which is connected with the sleeve 8 andmeans for imparting a rotary or vibratory movement to the rock-shaft,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ence of two witnesses, this12th day of January, 1898.

SVEND MARTIN MEYER. \Vitnesses:

B. A. ITTNER, Ln ROY M. YOUNG.

